Japan PM Eyes Alliances As Ruling Bloc Loses Lower House Majority

TOKYO, Oct 27 (Bernama-Kyodo) -- Japan's ruling camp lost its majority in the House of Representatives in Sunday's election, dealing a heavy blow to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba who must now look for additional support outside the coalition to run a stable government.

Ishiba, however, voiced eagerness to form a new government led by his party, Kyodo news agency reported.

Opposition parties, composed of both liberal and right-leaning forces, are also expected to struggle to cooperate in forming a coalition due to differences in their policy goals.

bootstrap slideshow

The dismal results underscored deepening distrust in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) due to a slush funds scandal, signalling a seismic shift in the support that enabled it to return to power in 2012 after a spell in opposition.

The ruling coalition secured 215 of the 465 seats in the chamber, sharply down from 288, missing its goal of at least retaining a majority.

It would still fall short of a majority in the powerful lower house if Ishiba accepts back into the LDP former lawmakers who ran as independents after being denied the party's endorsement over the scandal.

The main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ), which had presented itself as an alternative to a ruling party seen as awash in "secret money," saw a substantial increase in its seats.

The CDPJ, meanwhile, secured 148 seats, up sharply from 98.

The post-election outlook is uncertain, with some major opposition parties that made notable gains rejecting the possibility of joining a government with the ruling bloc.

The lower house election results will pose a daunting challenge for Ishiba as he seeks to rebuild the LDP before the House of Councillors election next summer.

-- BERNAMA-KYODO